The Portland daily press., 1887-06-11

Il
mained dormant while these improvements
| were being made, and stripped Of the fruit OF
all their toll and exposure.
The act provides for an equitable settle
ment between the parties. A jury Is 10 ap-
praise the improvements and the value the
land would have without them The pro-
prietor then has his choice TO receive the
value OF the land without the improvements,
land
Gen. King knew these settlers and the
haTdships they had endured, and it was not
IN MS nature to stand Indifferent and not
use the means within his power TO secure
equitable relief. He saw that a change in
the law was demanded, ana there can be lit
tie doubt who was the author Of this equita-
BILE and benefcient measure.
The other important measure with which
the name Of Gen. King Is associated Is enti-
tied "An Act Respecting Public Worship
and Religious Freedom" 1t was passed In
| June 1871
Prior to this time all Of the parishes In the
| commonwealth were territorial parishes, and
tax was imposed upon every citizen for the
| support Of the minister of the parish.
| Whether the dissenter could e0nscienci0usly
hear the minister or not he must pay the tax
| for his support.
The act provides that every citizen may di-
rect the appropriation Of his tax for the sup
/ port of the religious teacher Of his choice.
This left public worship to depend upon vol
untary.support. 1t was feared by many
Il
4 that way, and the attempt would result in its
| abandonment. In the House of Representa-
tlyes the first vote was against the passage
/ Of the bill. This vote was reconsdered and
| the bill finally passed, yeas 204, nays 100.
| II the Senate the vote stood, yeas 10, nays
| 16
| The feeling with which the passage Of this
| bill was resisted can hardly be realized now
when the fears that were entertained have
| proved groundless, and the beneficent effects
i are seen and admitted. The amount vOlun-
| tarily contributed for the support of public
| worship dwarfs the meagre amount that tax
| alton would give.
| Thus was c0nsummated a grand work of
| emancipation, and the establishment Of en-
| tire religious freedom.
Gen. King gave the bill his efficient sup
| port. He was in the best position 10 give
| him influence. lie was member Of Con-
| gregational church and parish that would
lose income by its passage. He was a far
| sighted statesman. governed by principle,
and there can be no doubt but that the sue
cess OF this important measure Is due largely
to his energy and power. Merchant, states
man, Christian, he performed well the duty
man owes to the community by so living and
doing as to benefit his fellow men and leave
the world better for having lived in 1t.
The State has recognized his worth, and
conferred upon him the signal honor Of Sc
lecting him from among all of her
sons, and all who bad lived within
her borders, to be her historic repre-
sentative = BY 5y placing placing b; statue n IN
Washington, 10 stand side by side with the
statues OF the most illustrIOus men from
every part Of the Union. He died June 7,
1852, full Of days crowned with honors.
Chief Justice Peters, of Bangor, was in
troduced as the next speaker. His remarks
follow:
CHIEF JUSTICE PETERS REMARKS.
Ar. President and Gentlemen:
| Two motives have brought me here to-
night. One Is that l owe duty to the soci-
| ETY.. have hardly attended a meeting since
| / was chosen a member, but my continuous
| duties are an excuse.fOr that. Ny mind Is
ever captivated by efforts to unrayel the his
tory OF the past l am notdunmindful Of the
Society work although have not been an
active member. In listening to the papers
whichshave been read to-day. | have been
struck with the fact that it has work to
do in picking up crumbs Of history from all
over the State, and writing between the
lines OF the work Of recording the past OF the
commonwealth.
The Society owes debt to posterity. We
are better fitted TO give knowledge to our
successors than were they TO preserve rec
0rds for US. This Is an age OF paper, when
everything is written down and kept.
have felt glow OF patriotism to-day. We
owe something to the country and are TO
teach the generations. OF the future that they
may do without emperors, but not without
America
So much for one motive, Mr.. Chairman.
am also glad to be here tonight to express
my feelings towards our president He has
done a great deal for the organization and he
has loved 1t. allude to him as venerable,
but perhaps should not have dared to do 80
| il had not known that his years were three
score and ten, plus fourteen. The President
has told US that the average age attained by
the founders Of this society was seyenty-twO
years. she average age Of the signers of
the Declaration of Independence was sixty
five years. In view of these facts, three
score years and ten plus fourteen, might
seem great age, but 1t Is not so in the case
Of our President; and why? because he
does not look it. Victor Hugo has divided
old age into two parts, the old age OF youth
and the youth Of old age, and II our Presi-
dent does not look old it is because he has
not graduated from the youth Of old age.
And now, in closing these brief remarks,
will say that hope many years may yet be
allotted to our President, and when his sun
shall 20 down that it shall not set like the
sun of winter, but Ike the summer sun,
slowly, lingeringly, and sending back the re-
Election Of its effulgence.
The chairman said that there was present
a representative Of sister society, whom
it gave him great pleasure to introduce He
presented DrsCharles Deane Of Cambridge,
Vice President Of the Massachusetts, Hlstori-
cal Society.
DIR. DEANE's REMARKS.
DR.. Deane presented a letter from the Hon.
Robert G. Winthrop to DIR. Ellis, President
of the Massachusetts Historical Society, in
which he wrote as follows concerning the
celebration in honor Of Mr.. Bradbury's
birthday:
II had not heard until your note reached me
Of the birthday celebration by the Maine HistOri-
cal Society. would gladly have joined IN paying
u tribute to the venerable PRESIDENT OF that So
eety, the Honorable James W. Bradbury. was
with him in Congress for several yeais, ana nave
| a warm regard and respect Tor nun. ne cdueu
| upon me in New York, as was comhg nome,
/ few weeks ago, looking so young ana treSh that
| when he spoxe Of being nearly S5 told him that
| there must be a mistake in his calendar. lie 4
| worthy and excellent man, who, hope, mas
him. him. ''0''
This letter. with the greetings which ac-
company It, L was charged TO present 20 you
today. And now having performed that SER
vice wish to offer my personal congratula
tions to your President on this memorable
occasion. l could not resist the opportunity
of coming here In person to do II, for have
had the privilege ef knowing him for many
years. it seems to me as If had always
known him, not only as public man, VINO
| has rendered important service to the state
every body has known him in that way
| but as personal friend. There was always
| a tender tie, IL | may be allowed to mention
| it, which closely bound him to my fathers
| family. His early friendship for my brother,
| some years older than myself who became
| his classmate and cham in college, but who
| died Just before the Tgraduatl0n OF the class
| OF '25. seemed to bring him during all these
| years very near to me.
| And now, sir, after having survived nearly
| every one of that class, justly called 'the
/ famous class of BowdOin College," and hay-
/ ing won marked distinction in long and
/ honorable career, as private citizen and pub
/ lie servant, he is here today, not 10 render to
| us an account of his stewardship, but
| to show that age cannot wither" him,
4 nor "custo,n stale" the infinite satisfaction
i derived from consciousness of well spent
| life. In an old classic with which our friend
4 Is familiar-Tully's distourSe on Old Age
| this eminent philosopher and statesman
/ says that the best support Of old age Is
| well spent life preceding it; a life employed
| in the pursuit Of knowledge, In honorable
| actions, and the practice of virtue; In which
| he who labors to improve himself from his
youth, will in age reap the happiest fruits Of
| them not only because these never leave
man, not only in the EXTREMIST old age, but
| because conscience, bearing witness that
our life is we'll spent, together with the re-
| membrance of past good actions, yields an
unspeakable comfort to the soul.
These are good Christian sentiments
though proceeding from heathen writer
/ desire to congratulate you on the prosper
Gus condition Of the Maine Historical SOci-
ety. What the public knows Of the real vi
| to1;t,, ~ aAiafaupV of Such a society they are